MEXICO CITY -- The flu virus in Mexico City had to be identified in a Canadian laboratory because Mexico lacked the facilities, President Felipe Calderon said..

Mexican health officials accused of moving too slowly to contain the outbreak had to wait for confirmation Thursday from the Canadian lab before issuing more restrictive measures, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Health officials reported a small increase in flu deaths Wednesday but said there was no sign of an epidemic. By Sunday, a public health emergency had been declared from Mexico to the United States and beyond, with more than 100 deaths reported in Mexico alone.

Calderon Sunday defended his government's actions and promised to regularly update his country.

"We are convinced the best strategy in this type of situation is transparency and truthful information," Calderon said, He said he expected Mexico to have newer labs capable of diagnosing the virus up and running by Tuesday.